Saving Seafood

Elvers and out: Fishing season likely to end early

May 18, 2016 — Last year, legislative haggling delayed the start of the elver fishing season, cold weather delayed the arrival of elvers in Maine streams and by the time the season closed at the end of May harvesters still had not landed the total allowable quota of baby eels.

This year, the season was extended for a week to give the fishermen a better shot of filling their quotas, but the elvers paid no heed to the extension and were among the earliest snowbirds returning to Maine. One result of their early arrival is that it is likely that the Department of Marine Resources will shut the fishing season down several weeks early because the federally mandated annual harvest quota has been filled.

Two years ago, at the behest of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the state adopted a statewide 9,688-pound overall landings quota for the elver fishery. The Legislature further allocated that quota among harvesters licensed by DMR and harvesters from each of the state’s four recognized Indian tribes.

Read the full story at The Ellsworth American

Puzzling out the red drum: Fish population surveys contradict each other

May 16, 2016 — The sought-after red drum might be severely overfished since 2010 in the Southeast but not the mid-Atlantic, according to the latest survey. Or the reverse might be true.

The problem is in the metrics: Just how do you count all the fish in the sea? That’s what a federal commission in charge of regulating the catch told its staff recently while not approving — yet — an assessment that would suggest the Southeast stock is in trouble again. Improve the metrics.

At stake is whether or how to tighten management, and potentially catch restrictions, on one of the most popular game fish in the Lowcountry.

The bottom line is that some sort of tighter management is expected to be mandated of that stock, said Robert Boyles, S.C. Department of Natural Resources deputy marine resources director and a member of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the federal group in charge of maintaining the fishery.

“The results basically suggest there are reasons to be concerned. The questions are how concerned should we be and what do we do about it,” he said.

Read the full story at The Post and Courier

Fishing commission chair wants caution on Atlantic monuments

PORTLAND, Maine — The chairman of an influential fishing oversight board is urging President Barack Obama to seek more public input before making a ruling on a request for a national monument in the Atlantic Ocean.

Environmental advocates have asked the federal government to create such a monument in the Atlantic off New England.

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Chairman Douglas Grout says the proposal needs a hard look before approval.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Washington Times

NPR Rhode Island: Interstate Fisheries Group Opposes Marine National Monument Proposal

May 13, 2016 — More than 160,000 people have signed a petition asking President Obama to declare a marine national monument in New England waters. It’s an effort spearheaded by a coalition of environmental groups and scientists. But the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is asking the president to reject this proposal.

“Under the Antiquities Act, the president can act without any public comment, any public input. I think that’s the big issue right now,” said Mark Gibson, chief of the fisheries division at the state Department of Environmental Management. He represents Rhode Island in fisheries groups. He said the New England Fisheries Management Council is already working to protect important habitats for corals, using the nation’s primary fishing law, the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

“So it will take some time,” said Gibson. “We are going through the full process of committee recommendations for areas that need to be protected, and the council will have to consider those, move them to public hearings, move them to the next council meeting, so it’s a long process that goes on.”

It’s a long process, but it works, adds David Borden, a member of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and a lobsterman. He said this proposal is missing the comprehensive review that happens among regulators, fishermen and environmental advocates.

“I think it’s important for the public to realize that there is no formal proposal that’s available for either the fishing industry or the public to look at and so we’ve requested that the public be afforded that opportunity,” said Borden.

Read and listen to the full story at Rhode Island Public Radio

Fishing Group Opposes A Marine Preserve

May 13, 2016 — The Long Island Commercial Fishing Association has joined the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in the latter group’s motion to oppose the designation of an offshore marine monument in the Northeast Atlantic, which environmental groups support.

Bonnie Brady, executive director of the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, released a statement on Friday in support of the fishery commission’s resolution. The resolution “allows for the protection of deep-sea corals, while at the same time protecting commercial fishing jobs,” she said. “It prevents the further contraction of our fisheries as we try to reclaim domestic markets from the onslaught of imported fish and shrimp, which too often is harvested by forced and involuntary laborers working in inhumane conditions.”

Read the full story at the East Hampton Star

ASMFC Urges Transparency and Public Input in Proposed New England Offshore Canyons & Seamounts Monument Decision Making Process

May 12, 2016 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

ARLINGTON, Va. — In a May 9th letter to President Barack Obama, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) urged the President and the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) for transparency and a robust opportunity for public input as the Administration considers designating a National Monument through its authority under the Antiquities Act.  While details on the specific location of the monument remain unknown, one potential area discussed centers around the New England offshore canyons and seamounts.

Currently, the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is drafting an Omnibus Deep-Sea Coral Amendment which considers protection of corals in and around the canyons of the Atlantic Ocean. At the request of the Council, the Commission conducted a survey of active offshore lobstermen to understand the potential impacts to the fishery should lobster traps be limited by the Draft Amendment. Preliminary results indicate a high dependence on the offshore canyons for revenue, with over $15 million in revenue generated each year by fishermen targeting American lobster and Jonah crab in the canyons. Given that input from concerned stakeholders is a key component of the Council’s decision-making process, the Commission strongly supports using the Council process to develop measures to protect the ecosystems within these deep waters.

If the President chooses to use the Antiquities Act to protect deep sea corals, the Commission requested the designated area be limited to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected. Additionally, the Commission requested the area be limited to depths greater than approximately 900 meters and encompass any or all of the region seaward of this line out to the outer limit of the exclusive economic zone. Further, the Commission asked that only bottom tending fishing effort be prohibited in the area and all other mid water/surface fishing methods (recreational and commercial) be allowed to continue in the area.

Read this release and the ASMFC letter to the White House as a PDF

Statement from the North Carolina Fisheries Association on ASMFC Marine Monument Policy

May 11, 2016 — The following statement was released by Jerry Schill, President of the North Carolina Fisheries Association, following the passage of the ASMFC motion calling for the president not to declare a marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean:

“Recently the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission adopted a resolution in support of continuing the current New England Fishery Management Council’s coral management process. The North Carolina Fisheries Association supports the ASMFC’s resolution, and opposes a Presidential Proclamation designating a marine monument. Such a designation would have a very negative effect on our nation’s seafood industry.

A process has been set up to allow for the management of our marine resources in federal waters. It was called the Magnuson Act when passed by Congress in 1976 and we respectfully urge the President to allow the process to be served through that legislation.”

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The North Carolina Fisheries Association, Inc. was organized in 1952 and serves as the voice of the commercial fishing industry in North Carolina.

Regulators mull change to rules about some shark fin removal

May 10, 2016 — NARRAGANSETT, R.I. — Interstate fishing regulators are considering changes to rules that govern the removal of fins from coastal sharks by fishermen.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is set to consider an amendment that would allow fishermen to bring smooth dogfish to land with fins removed as long as their total retained catch is at least 25 percent dogfish.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Stamford Advocate

Atlantic herring rules change proposed

May 9, 2016 — Portsmouth, N.H. — Rules for Atlantic herring are being proposed by New Hampshire Fish and Game to help sustain the populations.

The rules are proposed to get New Hampshire into compliance with Amendment 3 to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Interstate Fisheries Management Plan for Atlantic herring.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is a deliberative body that coordinates the conservation and management of the 15 Atlantic coast states’ shared near-shore fishery resources for sustainable use.

Read the full story at WMUR

Long Island lobstermen decry new federal rules on closures

May 9, 2016 — Long Island lobstermen, already straining under the weight of a seasonal closure of the Long Island Sound and sharply reduced lobster populations, face the potential for more closures as federal regulators work to rebuild a depleted stock.

Local lobstermen oppose closures, and question how regulators are making their decisions.

At a meeting of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission last week, the American Lobster Management Board agreed to review a series of new measures to address what they called the continuing decline in the Southern New England lobster fishery, which includes the Long Island Sound. The fishery has been affected by environmental factors and fishing activity, the board said.

“Our most recent [2015] assessment showed that the stock has continued to decline and we’re at record low abundance right now,” said Megan Ware, fishery management plan coordinator for the commission.

Read the full story at Newsday